It’s Baby Critters Time!

If you haven’t visited some of Arizona’s top zoos recently, now is the time as they’re BRIMMING with adorable baby critters!

In February, Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo welcomed a new reticulated giraffe calf. He was born weighing 180 pounds and measuring 6 feet tall, standing on his own the first time within about an hour of his birth. In just a month, he had already grown another foot! He was lovingly named Ndizi in a community poll; Ndizi is Swahili for “banana.” Reticulated giraffes are endangered and Ndizi’s birth is part of Reid Park Zoo’s participation in the Giraffe Species Survival Plan to maintain viable populations of these animals.

If you like giraffes, the Phoenix Zoo is home to Kasi, a baby Masai giraffe born last November. Her name means “speed” in Swahili—fitting for a baby calf who is known for her zoomies and level of activity. Masai giraffes are endangered and are one of nine subspecies of giraffe. They are the largest of the giraffes, growing up to 18 feet tall, making them the tallest land mammals on Earth.

At the Wildlife World Zoo, a baby pygmy hippo by the name of Jellybean is getting lots of attention. Jellybean, whose parents are Lollipop and Tootsie Roll, was born in January. The pint-sized hippos are native to West Africa and typically live in forests and swamps. They are rarely seen by humans and are extremely difficult to study in the wild, according to the zoo.  

While no longer a baby, the Reid Park Zoo is also home to the adorable 2-year-old African elephant Meru. She is the youngest elephant at the Reid Park Zoo and is part of an all-female herd that includes her older sisters. Meru is known for being incredibly playful and adventurous. African elephants are the largest land animals on Earth, weighing between 5,000 to 14,000 pounds and growing up to 13 feet tall! Elephants are highly intelligent and social creatures, known for developing strong bonds between friends and family members.

Reid Park Zoo Facts:

• · Tallest land mammals: Masai giraffes
• · Native home of pygmy hippos: West Africa
• · Largest land animals: African elephant